Belton
Texas
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City Of Belton
City of Belton History
Belton was established in 1850 as the county seat for the new Bell County. Within ten years, a courthouse, school, hotel, church, saloons, stores and other businesses were all well established. The courthouse now standing was built in 1886 and is the third courthouse of Belton – the first was a log cabin on blocks.
Over a thousand Belton and Bell County men joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and the Belton women met daily at the courthouse to sew clothes for the soldiers. The end of the Civil War also brought a building boom to the Belton area. The Belton Telegraph was organized and joined with Western Union. The telegraph provided quotes for the cotton market. The 1870’s also saw the formation of the Belton Women’s Commonwealth, a group of women interested in forming a utopian commune.
Belton suffered a setback in 1881 when the City was duped out of a railroad by the Santa Fe Railroad Company. Belton sued, but Santa Fe built a new town, Temple, which grew rapidly because of the railroad. The State Supreme Court did eventually rule in Belton’s favor, but by then Temple was already booming. Belton did receive a railroad – the ‘Katy’ – in 1882. The depot is still standing on 1st Street and Penelope.
Belton was established in 1850 as the county seat for the new Bell County. Within ten years, a courthouse, school, hotel, church, saloons, stores and other businesses were all well established. The courthouse now standing was built in 1886 and is the third courthouse of Belton – the first was a log cabin on blocks.
Over a thousand Belton and Bell County men joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and the Belton women met daily at the courthouse to sew clothes for the soldiers. The end of the Civil War also brought a building boom to the Belton area. The Belton Telegraph was organized and joined with Western Union. The telegraph provided quotes for the cotton market. The 1870’s also saw the formation of the Belton Women’s Commonwealth, a group of women interested in forming a utopian commune.
Belton suffered a setback in 1881 when the City was duped out of a railroad by the Santa Fe Railroad Company. Belton sued, but Santa Fe built a new town, Temple, which grew rapidly because of the railroad. The State Supreme Court did eventually rule in Belton’s favor, but by then Temple was already booming. Belton did receive a railroad – the ‘Katy’ – in 1882. The depot is still standing on 1st Street and Penelope.